Eurosatory 2022: Excalibur Army unveils Morana SPH technology demonstrator

Morana SPH technology demonstrator following its assembly at the end of May 2022. (Michal Zdobinsky)

Czech company Excalibur Army unveiled a technology demonstrator of the Morana 155/52 mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) for the first time at the Eurosatory 2022 defence exhibition being held in Paris from 13 to 17 June. Bearing the old Slavic name for death, Morana builds on experience with the Dana M1 and Dana M2 152/37 mm SPHs and with the Dita 155/45 mm SPH technology demonstrator with a gun presented in 2021.

Unlike its predecessors, Morana uses a new concept, with the unmanned weapon superstructure (turret) mounted on the rear and not in the middle of the chassis, with the powerpack located behind the cabin. Morana's crew includes a driver, a commander, and an operator seated in a four-door armoured cab with NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4569 Level 2 ballistic and mine protection. A fourth crew member can perform additional functions depending on the mission. The roof-mounted Guardian Secutor remote-controlled weapon station is equipped with a 12.7 mm machine gun.

The 155/52 mm weapon system developed in co-operation with Slovak company ZTS Špeciál has a fully automatic loading system and a new automated device for adding propellant charges to rounds, enabling a high rate of fire. The electro-hydraulically powered turret controlled directly by the crew from the cabin has a traverse of up to 60° to the right and the left of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. An automated weapon aiming system, an onboard control and diagnostic system, and a combat information system are available to the operator. The weapon superstructure is designed as a separate unit that can be integrated into various types of wheeled or tracked chassis, thanks to the independent energy and hydraulic unit.